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Avon, Chet and Pesha Inc.
The Gemarah Yuma 26 explains that ‘Pesha’ refers to sinning in revolt of Hashem, ‘avon’ refers to intentional sinning and ‘chet’ to accidental sin.
If one sinned inadvertently, ought he say ‘avisi, pashati’? Minchas Chinuch says No, he cannot. However the Rambam (Maase HaKorbanos 3) says that someone who brings an Olah, Asham or Chatas confesses his sins: He says ‘Chatasi Avisi Pashati’ These sacrifices are brought for accidental sins, yet he says ‘avisi, pashati’…
The reason for this is that the three terms really do mean the same thing: ‘I sinned!’ (When Yaakov asked Lavan ‘Mah Pish’i u’mah chatasi?’ the Targum translates both terms – pesha and chet – the same; Sin!)
Yet as each word has a particular connotation – one closer to accidental sin, the other to deliberate sin – we order them accordingly. But its good to know that what they actually mean is simply; Sin.
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Does Hashem Have A Favorite Day?
Yom Kippur is Hashem’s favorite day, because He forgives our sins. It’s like a king’s servants who cleaned the palace but instead of taking the trash to the dump, threw it over the palace wall. Yet the king was still pleased because his palace is clean, at least. So even though Hashem still has to deal with our sins, He is thrilled that we are free of sin! [Tanna D’bei Eliyahu]
When a wayward son reunited with his parents the process is incredibly happy and meaningful, yet it incorporates bringing up and resolving his actions. Doesn’t mean its bad, however. It is a good and healthy affair!
Yom Kippur is much the same.
Yom Kippur is His Wedding Anniversary: the day He wed Israel. He gave the Second Luchos on this day. Yom Kippur is the Day of Intimacy with Hashem.
And for us too:
Yom Kippur is a day when there is a mitzvah to do t’shvah, and t’shuvah should be done with the thought that it be a fulfillment of that mitzvah, as all mitzvos are to be done – that this act fulfills a mitzvah.
There is more: we ought not to feel put-upon that we need, nebech, to do t’shuvah. T’shuva is one of the highlights of our year!
We want to do t’shuva in any case. Yom Kippur or not Yom Kippur; we want t’shuva. We want to return to Hashem. The mitzvah is to do what we want to anyhow. Perhaps we eat and drink the day before Yom Kippur, to underscore that we celebrate the Aseres Y’mei T’shuva – the opportunity to do t’shuvah.
Its great happiness and joy!
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Two Goats For Each Of Us
The Yom Kippur ceremony has two goats, identical in size, color and look. They are even bought together. Yet one one offered to Hashem and the other to Azazel – the most extreme dichotomy possible.
Perhaps the symbolism here is that the identical thing can be to opposite ends. We take identical goats, and realize that the difference lies not in the goat, but in its destiny.
Many people believe that they are predisposed to sinning. This makes repentance difficult, for how can we change what we are hardwired to do? The two goats shows how the very same thing go to Hashem or to Satan. We can be anything we desire. The choice is completely ours.
Take responsibility for your life!
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Waiting For Dawn
We pray for the day when Hashem will reveal Himself and rule this world, – v’chein tein pachdecha. We should consider that we pray for guidance:
We live in a crazy world, characterized by interested parties.
Public issues are promoted not on the basis of merit, but rather because someone stands to gain as a result.
Darkness covers the world. We pray that His Kingdom come.
May we receive true instruction for life; what to focus on, what to do and how to act.
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Let Go Of That Rat!
Repenting without leaving the sin is like going to the Mikva without leaving go of the Sheretz. – Gemarah
The Rambam famously explains that doing tshuva without leaving the sin is worthless. T’shuva is essentially leaving sin. So even if one has remorse and says viddui, it can have no possible meaning so long as the sin persists.
This can be pretty disheartening. We spoke about some other Rishomin who explain that Gemarrah a bit differently:
Rashi explains this as specific to theft; if one repents but does not give back the stolen item, that is not tshuvah. The reason is because the sin is still extant and tangible, sitting in his living room. There can be no tshuva under those circumstances.
The Ramban in Dvarim explains that repentance consisting of remorse alone is effective to forestall punishment on that sin. Although not complete repentance, it is pretty far along. (An exception is Avodah Zarah – that is so severe a sin that only repentance coupled with changing one’s ways really helps)
Rabbenu Yonah in Shaarei Tshuvah explains that there are two types of sin; a habitual sinner and a one-timer. An occasional sinner is not held fast in the Yetzer Hara’s grip. For him repentance is essentially regret and vidui. Strengthening his willpower so that he will never stumble again is good, but not essential to his tshuva.
However someone immersed in sinful habit needs to first and foremost change his path, for so long as he remains in his ways he will sin continually. Specifically to this sort of sinner it says; one who sins and does not leave the sin is like immersing in a Mikvah without letting go of the sheretz.
The Mabit writes in Beis Elokim that tshuvah is not like tzitzis where having two or three strings is useless; in tshuvah each part stands alone, so remorse is valid without leaving the sin and effecting a change of ways.
These opinions represent major difference in defining the essence of tshuva: is it leaving sin, or is it remorse and repentance.
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The Fullest Measure Of Repentance
The Gemarah and Rambam both give the measure of true and full t’shuvah; ‘What is a baal t’shuvah? The same woman, the same physical ability and drive, and the same place, yet he does not sin again’
This indicates that even had he been so G-d-fearing that he even moved to another country to preclude the sin from ever happening again, it may still be incomplete t’shuvah. Full t’shuvah is only when presented with exactly the same opportunity for sin, he would now withstand temptation.
Why this is necessary? He has complete remorse and took precaution that it not happen again. True, his moral backbone is not proof against all temptation. That existed even before he sinned – why must he better his moral constitution after sinning more than beforehand?
Erasing sin consists of changing oneself to the point where Hashem can frankly say ‘This individual is not the one who sinned. His body is the same, but the person inside, his moral makeup, is so altered that this can be considered a new individual.’ This is the basis for pardon and purification. If this is a new person, he can be absolved of what his ‘other’ has committed.
For this to work, a minor change will not do the trick. Only if the individual standing here today would not have done that same sin, even given the opportunity, can we say that he is not the sinner.
That is why the change must be that even had he the opportunity, he would not sin again.
This is our goal; full t’shuvah. Remorse and repentance is t’shuvah too, but a lesser level than full, complete t’shuvah. May we be zocheh to reach full t’shuvah on even one of our sins!
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Defining Tshuva
What is t’shuvah? When we say vidduy do we specify what we have done wrong?
We pasken that we do not need to specify the sin (although the Rambam rules that we do). The Meiri explains that we do not specify it verbally, but we have the specific sin in mind. Other Rishonim indicate that we do not even have it in mind. If we are not thinking anything other than “We have generally sinned”, what then is the name and nature of t’shuvah?
It can be nothing other than a general RETURN TO HASHEM, in the broadest sense of the term. It is not a return from anything specific wrongdoing. It is making up with Him!
This is a radical definition, to my mind. Is the consensus? Is the name and nature of t’shuvah connected to the subject of whether we specify our sins in speech or at least thought or not at all?
To my mind, it may connect with what’s written above; the Rambam feels that t’shuva is leaving specific sins, that’s why they need to be expressed. The other opinions consider t’shuva reconciliation with Hashem, so specifics need not be mentioned.
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Oshek
In Neilah we say that Yom Kippur serves ‘l’maan nechdal m’oshek yadenu’ – Oshek is usually defined as theft. Why do we specify this sin?
There are various perushim on this. My suspicion is that ‘Oshek’ in Old Hebrew simply means ‘ crooked wrongdoing’, not specifically theft. We talk of all the wrongs – the crookedness – we have done.
(An example for this usage is in ‘al ya’ashkuni zedim’ – Tehilim 119:122. See also Malbim Vayikrah 19:13)
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Tshuva
Tshuva can mean 1. regret for sin, 2. reconciliation with Hashem 3. a change of behavior.
We are not going to change our lives on Yom Kippur. Changing ones life takes time and effort. On Yom Kippur we say ‘I’m sorry’. And you make up with Hashem.
How do you change your life? Rabbenu Yonah has a monograph – Yesod HaTshuva – where he outlines a simple plan: do moral inventory three times a day (he suggests at two meals and before sleep) and confess any sins found. Keep this up for one month.
It keeps you focused on sin, and also dissuades sin; can one sin if he will need to express regret in an hour or two?